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The importance of the 'right' career choice

The Lowell Sun

Updated:
06/16/2013 06:33:54 AM EDT

By Judit Price

A recent business article noted that despite the recession, a growing body of data suggest the focus on job happiness and career fulfillment increasingly drives current and recent graduates and employed young people in the workforce. This is in stark contrast to their parents, who viewed success in terms of climbing the corporate ladder as the path to job happiness.

Despite the turbulent economy, some surveys suggest a majority of Americans would even take a salary cut to work in a job that allowed them to apply their personal interests in the workplace. In another survey at a major corporation, respondents indicated a willingness to take as much as a 25 percent salary reduction if they could apply more of their own skills and interests to their jobs.

Any set of numbers can be questioned, but it is clear to me that young professionals expect more from their careers than just a paycheck. Challenge, the opportunity to make a difference and a supportive employer are areas that play an increasingly important role in the workplace.

I strongly support the idea that employees and job hunters really want to work in an organization that supports and rewards those skills, interests and capabilities that matter to them personally. I hear that from students near graduation, newly minted graduates and young people who have been in the workforce a few years.

So of course the key question is how do graduates or professionals entering the job market find employers and roles that are a good fit and will deliver job satisfaction? The remarkable number of startups in our community offers some clues.

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The solution is to pro-actively look for a job that allows you to leverage your personal interests, skills and values in your work. Too many simply assume they will have the freedom to apply these attributes when they get the job. It is not necessarily so.

As a counselor, I am continually striving to understand what is going on in the employment field, to better advise clients. Frequently, clients have no idea that interesting opportunities are available in seemingly unrelated areas -- areas in which the client's skills, interests and values are readily transferable either directly or with a little training. In fact, as we have seen industries pass their peak and new industries emerge, most people try to figure this out on their own.

It is not my intention to minimize the often complex barriers people encounter as they move forward. Nor do I ignore the long and often frustrating efforts required before finally succeeding. What I do insist is that looking for a job, or finding the right career is not rocket science. Rather, the consistent and persistent application of a set of simple steps, applied with skill and determination, ultimately wins the day.

The first, a good career choice, must be at the top of the list when considering a job target or opportunity -- a fact ignored by too many people. Being both successful and unhappy is not a job requirement, but so many people get so little satisfaction from their success, one might think they go hand in hand. Unfortunately, too many have embarked on careers for which they are unsuited by temperament, values, element of risk (too much or too little) or a host of other factors, yet succeed very well.

Avoiding that trap is crucial. It is essential to take the time to understand yourself, your history, your personal and professional passions and formulate a set of criteria to which you can apply your job search. The ultimate fit may not, or probably will not, be perfect. But it is essential to find an employer whose needs are a reasonable fit with your passions, skills and values. This will dramatically reduce the risk of a disconnect that can result in feeling overworked and underutilized as you build skills and gain experience in areas in which you feel no passion.

In my professional meetings I continually hear hiring managers and recruiters complain about candidates who apply for positions without understanding their qualifications, fit and even interests. Clearly, these candidates have not taken the time to ensure that their personal and professional passions are connected to a job for which they can apply.

A good résumé should reflect you as both a person and a potential employee. It provides the opportunity to express yourself beyond education and a list of responsibilities from prior employment. An employer is not hiring a résumé, but a person. A good résumé can help the potential employer feel more connected to a "real" person" with whom they can express interest.

Finally, good networking techniques can also provide the due diligence that an organization does offer that important "good fit." Genuine preparation and solid interviewing skills require a little art and a little science because many organizations are looking beyond the specific skills of the job. The key is understanding how your attributes fit that particular organization and communicate that fit to win the position. That puts you on the road to job satisfaction and a fulfilling career.

Judit Price is a masters-level career guidance counselor, certified career master, international job transition coach and a career development facilitator. She is also a principal at Berke and Price Associates, Skills for Career Services, in Chelmsford. Contact her at jprice@careercampaign.com.

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